Parliamentary panel discusses West Asia developments' impact on road infra sector
New Delhi, June 15
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture on Monday held a discussion on the impact of West Asia geopolitical developments on India's road infrastructure sector in the Parliament House Annexe Extension.
Janata Dal (United) National Working President and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, Sanjay Kumar Jha, is heading the committee meeting.
The committee is holding discussions with the Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, on the subject, "Impact of Geopolitical Developments in West Asia on India's Road Infrastructure Sector."
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel will also hold a meeting later in the day in Parliament House Annexe (PHA).
The committee will record oral evidence from representatives of the Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Power, and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the subject, "Coal Block Auction and Allocation Process - A Review."
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy on Friday heard views of the officials of the Power Ministry and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) on the role of power sector statutory bodies and PSUs in the development of the Atmanirbhar power sector, with acting Chairman of the panel Jagdambika Pal stating later that India is making fast progress in its renewable energy targets.
"The meeting was very good. You are quite aware of the NTPC and a subsidiary of the NTPC, North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO), which has been given a mandate to provide 24x7 power supply to the northeast area," Jagdambika Pal told ANI later.
"We have discussed it in detail. The members also made some queries about power generation, financial performance and some other issues related to renewable energy and gas-based plants," he added.
The agenda of the meeting was 'Role of Power Sector Statutory Bodies, PSUs and Institutions in development of Atmanirbhar Power Sector'.On India's progress towards achieving self-reliance in the power sector, Jagdambika Pal said the government has maintained a strong focus under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Referring to India's clean energy targets, he said the country remains committed to expanding non-fossil fuel-based power generation capacity. He said India is on course to achieve its renewable energy and net-zero targets.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some attention to infrastructure resilience! But I hope the committee also discusses the humanitarian angle. Many Indian workers are stuck in West Asian countries. Our road projects shouldn't ignore their plight.
Good to see parliamentary oversight. But I'm skeptical - these committees often end up as talk shops. We need concrete action on alternative routes like the International North-South Transport Corridor. Time to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.
This is crucial. Every rupee spent on roads affects the common man. If oil prices spike due to West Asia tensions, our highway projects will get costlier. Let's hope the panel proposes concrete solutions, not just observations.
While the committee meets in AC comfort, our NHAI contractors are struggling with rising diesel costs. Need to fast-track alternative energy for construction equipment. Also, why no discussion on using green hydrogen for road projects? Just saying.
Appreciate the proactive approach. But I hope the discussion also includes the impact on migrant workers from UP, Bihar who work on these highway projects. If oil prices rise, their remittances to families back home will shrink.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.